The Christmas Wish
by JuseaPeterson
Summary: A Merrick and Shayla Christmas one shot.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

_Author's Note: My first time writing this couple, so…Merry Christmas, or Happy Hanukah or whatever it is that you celebrate at this time of year. A lot of these ideas I got help with from Meloda26 and my younger sister and nephew._

**The Christmas Wish**

The street lights spoke what time of year it was. The lights running down the street were red, blue, green, yellow, orange, all lighting up the street to allow shoppers more time to get the presents needed. All the people bustled past a man in his late twenties who stood looking at a shop that didn't get much attention during the Christmas Holidays. It was still open but only the shopkeeper and this stranger were paying any attention to it.

Finally the dark haired man made his way across the street crunching the snow as he went. He slowly entered the store and looked around at all the wood cravings made of animals. He looked at the rugs where animals stood on mountain tops, or in a field, of by a lake. He saw bison's, tigers, eagles, bears, lions, every kind of animal that you could think about.

The man silently examined each of the items very carefully. The detail was very precise. He wondered why things couldn't have been the way they were all those years ago. Over time he lost everything to him, lost or left. He shook his head and set down the deer that was in his hand. He turned and walked out of the store. Looking around he saw that most of the stores had been closed when he was in the other one. The snow was still falling quietly on his head.

He looked back and forth as the last remaining cars on the streets passed by. He began to head out of town. Merrick was unsure of what to do. The past Christmas's Merrick had spent trying to figure out what it was all about. He had heard lots and when he had finally made it back to Turtle Cove a few years ago his most recent team helped him with so much more of it. They all had seemed really happy to see him, and although he was a part of him was still missing.

They reminded him more of the fact that Shayla was no longer with them and instead in the sky asleep. He looked up at it and shook his head, it wasn't fair. But then again they were never supposed to be together. He was her bodyguard and she was the Princess, neither were supposed to like each other. That hadn't stopped his heart from feeling it. He grew closer to her everyday they spent together. But he knew that eventually a suitor would come and take his Princess from him. Then the Great Battle happened. Merrick had made sure that she was safe before he did anything else, which had been the last time he had seen her until he was woken.

He stopped and looked down on the little town now asleep in the valley. Looking forward he knew where the road led and he was somewhat reluctantly to continue onward. He knew that if he did he'd reach that horrible destination. He looked down below contemplating on going back and not having to face it, but his heart moved him forwards. So he walked onwards.

Merrick didn't know what exactly led him to the spot where his Princess had departed from his life, but here he was. He looked down at the ground that was covered in snow; he then allowed his eyes to wander up to the sky. She was up there, he knew she was. Lying there on that bed, looking peaceful sleeping away time until she was needed again. What about now? He needed her now. Deciding that he would spend Christmas Eve night here he sat down on a rock. Tomorrow he would move on, but for now, he would stay with the only person he ever loved.

Merrick heard someone walking behind him, it sounded familiar, and the fall of the feet was very light and delicate. It was something he had trained very hard to hear. He slowly turned around and saw the Princess slowly walking toward him but as she saw him turn she stopped and watched him. He turned around and saw her shining against the sun. He felt his lips slowly curve into a smile as he watched her come closer to him. Just as she was about to reach him she disappeared causing the ex-ranger to wake with a start. He rubbed his eyes and looked around, he was still alone. He stood up and stretched. He probably should continue now, it was still dark outside and if he went now he'd be with his friends soon.

The lone man had been walking for a couple of hours and had come upon the outskirts of Turtle Cove. His old home, his new home, someplace that never gave him the one thing he wanted. Christmas brought so many wishes from people at all ages, but what good did any wish do when it would never come true? Sure he had things come about that he wanted to happen. When he was young he had hoped to be in position close to the King in order to serve better, and he got placed as the Princess's bodyguard—which was even better than the King because the King loved his daughter so. And yet that wasn't really a true blessing for Merrick had fallen in love with the Princess, and that would end up no where. But then he came back and it seemed as though in another time, another place, with no orgs something could happen and yet she left.

Christmas wishes were supposed to come true and yet why had none for him? Why had his greatest wish been denied thousands of years later? He stopped as he heard a noise behind him. Slowly he turned around his mouth opening slightly at the image before him. It couldn't be real, he'd had this dream many times and nothing had come of it. But yet she seemed more real now than in his other dreams. He took a small step forward but stopped when he saw her move forward.

"Merrick."

"Princess?"

She smiled and stepped closer. "You're here."

What did that mean? "Princess, why are you here?" Then it clicked in his head, he looked around, "There are orgs? They're back again?"

"No." The wind rushed through in between them and Shayla wrapped her arms around her body as she slightly shivered.

"You're cold."

She smiled, "I'm alright." Merrick quickly took his jacket off and closed the distance between them placing the jacket over her shoulders. "Thank you."

"So I don't get it. If there are no orgs, then why are you here?"

Shayla's smile disappeared, "You…don't want me here?"

"No, it's not that at all. I do…I mean." Merrick hung his head. After all those years of thinking about how he'd respond and he was still unsure of speaking freely to his Princess.

"Merrick." He could hear the pain in her voice. He felt her hand touch his shoulder, "Must we do this again?"

"Princess I—"

"Let's start there, Shayla."

He turned and looked into her eyes and found himself lost like many other times he had accidentally met her eyes. "But…"

"Merrick we no longer are in the past, let's live in the future, please?"

"Prin—" He stopped when she gave him a look, "Shayla" He watched as she closed her eyes and he realized just how wonderful it was to say her name. To say her name and to her, it was the most wonderful feeling in the world. "What about the Animarium? Aren't you supposed to be there in case more orgs come?"

"I was." Shayla turned and walked off a few foot looking in the distance. "Animus came to me and we talked, a lot. I am the Guardian of the Animarium, and yet he knew that I wasn't happy. I couldn't sleep like I had all those years." She turned back and headed for the man who silently stood in front of her. "Merrick, you've always been there. You are the reason I could not sleep." She looked down. "You are the one that I…wish to be with."

She looked back in her eyes. "But Princess, Shayla, I thought you said we couldn't be together."

"As you said we couldn't be together. Why can't we be together?"

He took her small, graceful hands in his, "I want to be. But you need to be on the Animarium while I belong here on Earth."

"No Merrick. I belong on Earth…with you."

Merrick's lips slowly curled into a smile, "If that's what you want."

"It is. But is it what you want?"

"From all the years that I have wondered the Earth I've learned a lot about holidays. One is Christmas—which is now; they always spoke of wishes and hopes. I never believed them but now…"

Merrick grew silent and the two understood. "I see you're headed to Blue Bay Harbor."

"Yes."

"Shall we go visit our friends?"

Merrick nodded and the Princess and her Protector headed off as the snow gently started falling down both receiving their own Christmas wish.


End file.
